Written Answers Nos. 326-345
326. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to outline the presence, if any, he or his Departmental officials will have at the Wind Europe annual event in Bilbao, Spain from 20-22 March 2024; his Department’s proposed contribution to the event; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12007/24]
View answerWindEurope is one of the largest gathering of Europe’s wind industry with over 12,000 attendees and over 500 exhibitors expected to attend the event in Bilbao this March. I understand over 16,000 people attended the same event in Copenhagen last year. This event offers a huge opportunity for Ireland to announce our plans in relation to offshore wind, including the recently published Powering Prosperity – Ireland’s Offshore Wind Industrial Strategy, and will be critical in helping us attract investment needed to meet Ireland's offshore targets and to maximise the economic and social benefits to Ireland as a result.
As such, officials from my Department’s Offshore Wind Strategy Unit will attend the event given the large number of attendees expected and the importance of the event in highlighting Ireland’s offshore ambitions to the rest of the world. Attendance at WindEurope directly relates to action 20 in Powering Prosperity, which is to “Promote Ireland as a high potential OWE market through ministerial trade missions and active participation in international conferences, trade shows and other major OWE sectoral events, including though engagement with industry representative bodies.”
My officials will be joined by representatives from the all-of-Government Offshore Wind Delivery Taskforce (OWDT), which includes representation from DECC, D/Transport, IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland, SEAI, as well as those working in the Irish wind industry at an Ireland Pavilion at the event
Officials will perform a number of tasks at WindEurope such as visiting a nearby floating offshore wind demonstrator site, attending relevant conference sessions to build our knowledge and expertise in this area, and meeting with stakeholders across the offshore wind sector including a range of companies and delegations from other like-minded countries. Furthermore, officials will be available at the Ireland Pavilion throughout the event including at a reception to discuss Ireland’s long-term offshore wind plans with other representatives from the OWDT, where my officials will speak on the Offshore Wind Industrial Strategy.
327. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the reason no businesses are operating in the IDA business and Technology Park, Fermoy, County Cork in 2024, 22 years after the official opening of the park; the amount that has been spent on the development and maintenance of Fermoy IDA business and technology park since it has been opened; the number of businesses that have applied to operate in the business and technology park since its official opening; the reason for rejecting applications by businesses to locate in the park; if businesses have been refused permission to locate there; the IDAs current plans for the business and technology park; if no businesses are planned to go into park in the near future, if the Government will consider restoring the park back to residential land considering the lack of housing in the Fermoy area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12010/24]
View answerRegional development is at the centre of IDA’s strategy "Driving Recovery & Sustainability 2021-2024". In that regard, the IDA is committed to the pursuit of balanced, compact regional development which can deliver complementary efficiency and equity gains, with the overall impact of helping to advance national development. IDA’s property investment in the regions is aimed at supporting economic development and job creation across IDA’s, Enterprise Ireland and local LEO’s respective client bases. The availability of quality Business Parks and Strategic Sites is a critical component of the Regional Value Proposition for the winning of investments for the regions. To that end, it is crucial that the South-West region has a competitive, sustainable property offering to enable the attraction and retention of investment and jobs and the IDA’s Regional Property Programme has enabled the winning of capital-intensive projects of significant scale to regional locations including the Southwest. In relation to the Fermoy Business Park, it is maintained as part of IDA Ireland’s property portfolio and is available to accommodate investment and development by IDA and indigenous industries. The 8-hectare site is part of IDA’s overall strategic land bank portfolio in Cork offering greenfield sites of c. 6Ha to suit both manufacturing and international services clients, in a landscaped and serviced environment and is available to support IDA and Enterprise Ireland clients with appropriate services in place to accommodate such companies. In that regard, IDA continues to proactively market the site to suitable qualifying client companies.The site is subject to the standard IDA 999-year leasehold user covenant i.e., for manufacturing and internationally traded services. Pursuant to the Industrial Development Acts, the IDA is permitted to sell lands within its ownership for the purpose of manufacturing and/or for the purpose of one or more of the services listed in SI 81/2010 where that service is being carried out by an industrial undertaking.Over the past several years IDA has received a number of enquiries from interested parties about the park, however, none of these enquiries led to formal applications to operate a qualifying activity on the park. IDA Ireland assure me that they are committed to the continued promotion of the lands at Fermoy for development for employment generating uses consistent with its development brief. Moreover, IDA Ireland continues to work with all relevant stakeholders to ensure that a supportive ecosystem is in place to assist IDA in winning investments into the Cork region.
Since 2009, the IDA has spent €24,765.65 on maintenance, upkeep and security on the park.
Finally, IDA Ireland is engaged with the Land Development Agency on the potential suitability of IDA lands for housing.
328. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment when the rates rebate for businesses that was announced as part of Budget 2024 will be rolled out; how qualifying businesses will receive these grants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12069/24]
View answer329. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if a response will issue to queries raised by a person (details supplied) in respect of the Increased Cost of Business Grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12258/24]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 328 and 329 together.
I acknowledge the correspondence that has been shared by Fergus O’Dowd TD. In response to the details supplied, if a business owner operates multiple properties in separate local authorities, they must apply to each specific local authority to which they pay rates. Each property must separately meet the qualifying criteria to be eligible for the Increased Cost of Business (ICOB) grant. For further information, I would urge the businesses owner to contact the respective local authorities at the below links:
Increased Cost of Business Grant Scheme | Meath.ie
Increased Cost of Business (ICOB) Grant Scheme - Louth County Council (louthcoco.ie)
The Increased Cost of Business (ICOB) grant, announced as part of the Budget 2024 package has a total allocation of €257m and will be particularly targeted at Small and Medium sized businesses who operate from a rateable premises. The grant is intended to aid firms who have been most affected by increases in business costs but is not intended to directly compensate for all increases in wages, or other costs, for every business.
The administration of the grant will be carried out by Local Authorities with a view to providing relief from late April of this year. It is not intended that there be a formal application process. Businesses will be contacted directly by their Local Authority.
The grant has been set up in this way to ensure that the scheme is accessible to smaller businesses, who may have had difficulties availing of previous schemes. At present, Local Authorities are in the process of setting up a system in order to pay out this grant and have begun to write to businesses directly providing them with a customer ID and PIN to access the ICOB portal. I would encourage businesses to engage with the registration process as soon as they receive their letter. The portal opened on Thursday, the 14th of March and by Monday evening, over 1500 businesses had registered. Payments will begin in late April.
Once contacted by their Local Authority, it is up to each business to register to participate in the scheme, subject to the eligibility criteria. Businesses must verify through self-declaration their eligibility to the Local Authority on the basis of satisfying the following conditions:
• The business is a commercially trading business operating directly within a premises that is commercially rateable by a Local Authority and intends to trade for a period of 3 months following registration.
• The business has provided confirmation of its bank details to the respective Local Authority.
• The business is rates compliant, including those businesses with a phased payment arrangement in-place.
• The business is tax compliant, and in possession of a valid Tax Registration Number.
The rate of the Grant for qualifying premises will be as follows:
• For qualifying businesses with a 2023 Commercial Rate bill of less than €10,000, the ICOB grant will be paid at a rate of 50% of the business’s Commercial Rate bill for 2023.
• For qualifying businesses with a 2023 Commercial Rate bill of between €10,000 and €30,000, the ICOB grant will be €5,000.
• Businesses with a 2023 Commercial Rates bill greater than €30,000 are not eligible to receive an ICOB grant.
It is important that I continue to underline that the ICOB grant does not constitute a commercial rates waiver and firms should proceed to pay their rates as normal.
330. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment further to Parliamentary Question No. 77 of 6 March 2024, whether the beneficiary of the end of service payment has been engaged by Enterprise Ireland or any other State body on a consultancy basis. [12326/24]
View answerThe beneficiary of the end of service payment referenced in our response to PQ 11012/24 has not been engaged by Enterprise Ireland on a consultancy basis.
Neither my Department or Enterprise Ireland would be aware whether or not the beneficiary has been engaged by any other State body.
331. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of exit and or severance and or redundancy packages granted by his Department, and bodies under his aegis and of bodies he funds in full or in part, of €100,000 and above but less that €200,000, by the amount and by each body in each of the years 2019 to 2023 and to date in 2024. [12347/24]
View answerThe Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment has not paid exit, severance or redundancy payments of €100,000 and above, but less than, €200,000.
Enterprise Ireland, an agency under the aegis of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, has confirmed that no exit, severance, or redundancy packages were paid in relation to their operations in Ireland.
Enterprise Ireland have paid statutory benefits within the range set out in the Deputy's question, relating to one overseas role, payable upon completion of contract. Details set out below:
In countries such as the UAE, Qatar, India, China, South Korea and Saudi Arabia, there are provisions for statutory benefits, payable upon completion of contract, related to local service in those jurisdictions. Since 2019, there has been one instance of a statutory benefit between €100,000 and €200,000, paid upon end of contract in an overseas jurisdiction. This payment, which is detailed below, related to an individual with service in excess of 11 years. This was a statutory end of contract payment, in line with local legislative requirements, with no discretionary element, and no further entitlements due in respect of this service.
|
Agency |
Role |
Year |
Amount |
|
Enterprise Ireland |
Senior Market Adviser – Overseas Role |
2023 |
€120,864 |
332. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the percentage breach rate of employment law uncovered from the total number of WRC investigations in 2023, in tabular form. [12428/24]
View answerThe Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) is an independent, statutory body under the aegis of my Department, established on 1st October 2015 under the Workplace Relations Act 2015. The WRC’s primary functions include the inspection of employment law compliance, the provision of information on employment law, mediation, adjudication, conciliation, facilitation, and advisory services.
The WRC conducts inspections of employer records with a view to determining compliance with certain employment law statutes. Targeted inspections arise for a number of reasons including; as a result of complaints received of alleged non-compliance, or by way of strategically planned compliance campaigns which focus on compliance in specific sectors or focus on specific employment law statutes.
The primary aim of the WRC is to achieve voluntary compliance through the provision of education and awareness, inspection of employers’ employment records and enforcement where necessary. Whilst every effort is made to secure compliance, some employers may refuse or fail to rectify the breaches identified and/or pay money due to their employees. When these situations arise, they are referred by the WRC’s inspectorate for prosecution.
The attached table sets out the percentage breach rate of employment law uncovered by sector from the total number of WRC investigations in 2023.
333. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if a complaint can be referred to the Corporate Enforcement Authority by an Oireachtas Committee (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12493/24]
View answerThe Corporate Enforcement Authority (CEA) is an independent statutory agency equipped with significant enforcement powers required to carry out its statutory functions; to enforce and encourage compliance with company law, to investigate suspected offences under the Companies Act 2014, to prosecute detected breaches of the Companies Act and to refer cases to the Director of Public Prosecutions on indictment.
The CEA receives information regarding suspected breaches of company law from a variety of sources. In accordance with the Companies Act 2014, certain parties, such as liquidators and auditors, have mandatory reporting obligations to the CEA. The CEA also receives information relevant to its remit from other statutory bodies such as An Garda Síochána, the Central Bank of Ireland, and the Revenue Commissioners. The CEA is also a prescribed body for the purposes of the receipt of protected disclosures.
In addition, the CEA actively encourages members of the public to submit complaints and expressions of concern where information comes to their attention that might suggest a breach of company law.
Any party, including a Committee of the Oireachtas, or indeed an individual Parliamentarian, can make a referral to the CEA of information suggestive of a breach of company law having occurred. Complaints, which should to the extent possible be supported by relevant supplementary information, can be referred to the CEA by email (complaints@cea.gov.ie or oireachtas@cea.gov.ie) or in writing. A Compliant Form is available, which can be accessed on the CEA’s website www.cea.gov.ie
The CEA operates under a statutory duty of confidentiality. All complaints and expressions of concern received are treated in accordance with the CEA’s statutory confidentiality obligations. As such, the CEA does not ordinarily correspond with complainants regarding their complaint (unless further information is required) or offer updates on the progress of investigations.
334. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he met the Indian Prime Minister during his recent visit to India for St. Patrick's Day events; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12572/24]
View answerThe 2024 St Patrick's Day programme saw the Taoiseach, Tánaiste and Government Ministers take part in an extensive international programme to promote Ireland and Irish interests around the world. These visits provided an opportunity for Ministers to promote Irish trade and meet business leaders, to engage with political counterparts and to meet the Irish diaspora in different locations.
As part of this St Patrick’s Day programme, I visited India and Bangladesh and carried out a wide-ranging programme of business and political engagements in Bengaluru Mumbai and Delhi in India as well as Dhaka in Bangladesh. On this occasion I did not meet with the Indian Prime Minister during my visit.
This visit was a key opportunity for Irish companies, it provided a platform to strengthen business collaboration and investment. Accompanied by Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland and Tourism Ireland I attended a series of engagements with senior representatives from several of India’s leading companies in the ICT, Aviation, Fintech and Lifesciences sectors. My programme included meeting a number of Indian universities and education policymakers as well as senior representatives from Kerry Group, who established operations in India in 2012.
335. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment whether he has monitored the progress made under the actions specified in the National Positive Ageing Strategy 2013 and published annual progress reports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12646/24]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, the Minister for Health leads on the implementation of the National Positive Ageing Strategy. The Government is committed to supporting positive ageing across the life course as well as to ensuring that older people can continue to live independently in their homes and communities for as long as possible. This commitment is enshrined in the National Positive Ageing Strategy, which provides a blueprint for promoting older people’s engagement in economic, social, cultural and community life and for fostering inter-generational solidarity. Recognising the need for a whole-of-society approach to supporting positive ageing, the Strategy’s implementation has been advanced through a wide range of initiatives developed and delivered in partnership with the community and voluntary sector.
The Department of Health's Healthy and Positive Ageing Initiative (HaPAI) was initiated in 2015 to support the monitoring of the Strategy ’s implementation through the collation and analysis of indicators on older persons’ health and wellbeing. In addition, three annual stakeholder fora were held in 2017, 2018 and 2019 to support engagement in the areas of participation, health, and security (2017); living well in the community, health education and literacy, and older people and transport (2018); and older people and transport; living well in the community; and HaPAI (2019) respectively.
On 3 October 2023, the Government approved the establishment of an independent Commission on Care for Older People and €1.243 million was allocated in Budget 2024 to support the Commission’s work. On 14 December 2023 it was announced that Professor Alan Barrett (Chief Executive Officer, Economic and Social Research Institute) had been appointed as the Chairman of the Commission. On 29 February 2024 it was announced that the other members of the Commission had been appointed.
The Commission will examine the provision of health and social care services and supports for older people and make recommendations to the Government for their strategic development. A Cross-Departmental Group will be established under the auspices of the Commission to consider whether the supports for positive ageing across the life course are fit-for-purpose and to develop a costed implementation plan for options to optimise these supports.
336. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if, in light of recent the Supreme Court jurisprudence, he will bring forward legislation setting out the extent of a positive right to take part in industrial action, the limitations thereto, whether industrial action actionable as a breach of contract, and the legal effect of a no-strike clause; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12709/24]
View answerIt is not my Department’s intention to bring forward legislation in the light of the recent Supreme Court Decision. Ireland has comprehensive and effective legal protections in place for workers who go on strike. Part 2 of the 1990 Industrial Relations Act provides workers who are taking part in peaceful and legal industrial action with a number of legal immunities, provided certain conditions are met.
The judgment found the key legislation that governs industrial relations provides an "absolute bar" to courts granting injunctions restraining industrial action, where the correct legal procedures have been followed. These matters are provided for in Section 19 of the 1990 Industrial Relations Act which provides clear legal guidance on restriction of right to injunction in the case of strike or industrial action by a trade union. I welcome the interpretation of the legislation by the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court found that the legislation should not be interested narrowly or restrictively as this would defeat the purpose of the legislation which is to protect unions and their members.
In addition to the protections granted under the 1990 Industrial Relations Act, under the Unfair Dismissals Acts 1977–2021, the dismissal of an employee for taking part in a strike or industrial action is unfair if one or more of the other employees taking part in the action was not dismissed, or if one or more of the other employees who was dismissed was later reinstated or re-engaged and the employee was not, or the employee receives less favourable treatment after reinstatement after a strike.
Any further changes to the industrial relations laws governing collective bargaining will take place in the context of the implementation of the LEEF High-Level Report on Collective Bargaining. A consultative group has been established by the Government with the social partners which is discussing in detail the Report’s recommendations and exploring mechanisms that would enhance Ireland’s industrial relations framework.
337. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will publish a list of the NGOs funded by his Department; and the level the funding each NGO received in the past three years, in tabular form. [12717/24]
View answerWhile my Department does not generally provide direct funding to non-governmental organisations (NGOs), it does provide funding for ad hoc humanitarian flood relief schemes which are delivered by the NGO sector. The figures in the table below refer to payments made under the Emergency Humanitarian Flooding scheme which provides a contribution towards the costs of returning business premises and community, voluntary, sporting bodies to their pre-flood condition including the replacement of flooring, fixtures and fittings and damaged stock. The scheme is administered by the Irish Red Cross (IRC) on behalf of my Department.
|
Year |
NGO |
Amount |
|
2022 |
Irish Red Cross |
104,947 |
|
2023 |
Irish Red Cross |
3,681,039 |
|
2024 (to date) |
Irish Red Cross |
3,519,209 |
338. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of engagements, including online meetings, webinars, briefings and in-person meetings that he or officials from his Department and bodies under the aegis of his Department have had with an organisation (details supplied) including its representatives from 1 January 2019 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12737/24]
View answerSince my appointment as Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment I have not met with the organisation in question. My predecessor as Minister met with the organisation on 13th January 2022.
An official of my Department had an online meeting with the organisation on 22nd July 2021 where they provided an overview of new initiatives.
In addition, the organisation in question is represented on the independent Balance for Better Business Advisory Group, for which my Department has had secretariat responsibilities since 2022. My Department has facilitated four meetings of the Balance for Better Business Advisory Group in this time, and two annual report launch events, to which representatives of the organisation were invited.
In respect of the State bodies that come within my remit, they are statutorily independent in their functions and this is an operational matter for them. I have, therefore, referred the Deputy's question to the relevant State bodies for direct reply.
339. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he has carried an assessment on how effective the trade sanctions are with Russia; if he is confident these sanctions are not being circumvented in any way; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12808/24]
View answerEU sanctions are instruments used by the EU to bring about a change in policy or behaviour by the target country, entity or individual. EU Member States are responsible for the implementation and enforcement of EU sanctions, as well as for identifying breaches and imposing penalties. However, decisions on the adoption, renewal, or lifting of sanctions regimes are taken by the Council of the European Union. The Department of Foreign Affairs negotiates for Ireland at EU level on proposed sanctions packages.
Assessments of the effectiveness of current sanctions (including trade sanctions against Russia) are also made at EU level and new EU sanctions packages are brought forward if, and when, deemed necessary. The EU has adopted thirteen packages of sanctions in response to the situation in Ukraine since 23 February 2022.
My Department has specific responsibility for implementing those EU sanctions which relate to trade. The Department works closely with the Office of the Revenue Commissioners to ensure comprehensive implementation of the trade measures.
In order to prevent circumvention, my Department conducts audits of both enterprises and academia, during which it carries out document checks on exports. The Department also issues notifications when there is an update to EU Regulations and provides information on the “European Commission Guidance for EU operators: Implementing enhanced due diligence to shield against Russia sanctions circumvention”. In addition, my Department also engages with representative bodies to ensure that they play a role in communicating the compliance requirements to their members.
My Department also attends a number of international enforcement meetings such as the Article 25 (Regulation (EU) 821/2021) Enforcement Coordination Mechanism, where enforcement officers from across the EU come together to discuss various elements of enforcement and also means of combatting circumvention and diversion. Trends are identified at these meetings so that officers can target possible routes of circumvention. The Department also works with Conflict Armament Research (CAR) which assesses battlefield finds on behalf of EU member states. If required, the Department can work with CAR and other member states to determine where the goods originate from and, where illegality is found, to take the requisite actions.
340. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will address concerns raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12878/24]
View answerI appreciate the concern from businesses regarding the rising costs they are seeing at the moment and as they deal with the rising cost of doing business. It is important to note that the impact of rising prices is not unique to Ireland, but an issue facing all major economies around the world.
The Government has advanced a range of measures to improve working conditions in Ireland, including the transition to a Living Wage, Auto-Enrolment Retirement Savings, Parent’s Leave and Benefit, Statutory Sick Pay, an Additional Public Holiday, the Living Wage, and Remote Working. These improvements will bring wider societal benefits and will serve to bring Ireland in line with other advanced economies. However, it is recognised that businesses may face rising costs, in particular in the short term. I am continuing to monitor this situation with a view to identifying measures which may support businesses in this transition.
The Government has provided significant support to business throughout the period of increasing costs and has been proactive in limiting the fallout from higher rates of inflation in input costs and prices.
Budget 2024 contained several measures which will support businesses facing increased costs. For example:
• The 9% VAT reduction for gas and electricity was extended for an additional 12 months, until the 31st of October 2024;
• The temporary excise rate reductions applying to auto diesel, petrol and marked gas oil were extended until the 31st of March 2024; and,
• There was an increase in VAT registration thresholds for SMEs to €40,000 for services and €80,000 for goods.
The Increased Cost of Business Scheme (ICOB) was also announced as part of Budget 2024 and will provide a grant to benefit a significant number of small and medium businesses at a cost of €257 million. The grant will be at a rate of half an enterprise’s commercial rates bill, for 2023, for firms paying up to €10,000 in rates. A flat €5,000 grant will be available to firms who pay between €10,000 and €30,000 in rates.
The ICOB Grant will be available to up to 143,000 businesses, or 95% of all commercially trading business, operating from a rateable businesses in all corners of Ireland. The administration of the ICOB will be carried out by Local Authorities and it is intended that the grant will be provided to qualifying premises in the first quarter of this year. The grant scheme has been set up in the way so as to ensure that the scheme is accessible to smaller businesses, who may have had difficulties availing of previous schemes.
My Department, in collaboration with the Department of Social Protection, assessed the cumulative impact of changes to working conditions, including Auto-Enrolment Retirement Savings Scheme, Parent’s Leave and Benefit, Statutory Sick Pay, the Additional Public Holiday, the Living Wage, and Remote Working. This report was published on the 5th March alongside a suite of measures including making available up to €15 million to Local Enterprise Offices to enable a top up payment of up to €3,000 in the Energy Efficiency Grant for businesses in the hospitality and retail sectors bringing the grant up to €8,000; preparation of an options paper on the application of the lower 8.8% rate of Employer PRSI contribution; a range of measures to reduce red tape and the administrative burden on business, including: an enhanced SME Test; accelerating the roll out of a fully functioning National Enterprise Hub with staff available to provide immediate advice and support to vulnerable firms.
With respect to the Low Pay Commission, the Commission was established in 2015 through the National Minimum Wage (Low Pay Commission) Act 2015. That Act prescribes the composition of the Low Pay Commission as follows:
• The Commission comprises eight members and an independent Chairperson:
• Three are members who have an understanding of the interests of employers, particularly small to medium-sized employers and those operating in traditionally low pay sectors, and who possess a good knowledge and understanding of the particular issues faced by Irish businesses, particularly in relation to labour costs, and competitiveness.
• Three are members who have an understanding of the interests of employees, particularly the impact of living on the minimum wage and the sectors where low pay and minimum wage workers are concentrated.
• Two members are academics who have particular knowledge or expertise in relation to economics, labour market economics, statistics, and employment law, as well as proven competence in analysing and evaluating economic research and statistics.
Appointments are made to the Low Pay Commission following an open recruitment process managed by the Public Appointments Service.
The Labour-Employer Economic Forum (LEEF) Plenary is led by the Department of the Taoiseach. The Department of the Taoiseach sets the agenda for the plenary meeting, which is attended at Ministerial level with representatives from employer and employee organisations. The Taoiseach chairs the LEEF plenary.
This Government has adopted an active approach in supporting Irish businesses across multiple crises over the last number of years, including the introduction of unemployment supports during the COVID -19 pandemic, the provision of financial supports to firms facing the implications of Brexit, and more recently, through the period of increasing overhead costs. My Department is fully committed to serving the SME sector and the measures included in Budget 2024 reflect this.
341. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment further to Parliamentary Question No. 71 of 8 February 2024, for an update on plans to remove dental nurses from the ineligible occupation list; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12926/24]
View answerThe 2023 Review of the Employment Permits Occupation Lists delivered comprehensive changes to the employment permits system, with changes to 43 occupations.
Submissions to the review were subject to consideration by the Interdepartmental Group (IDG) on Economic Migration Policy. The IDG consists of cross-departmental membership including the Department of Health, which has policy responsibility for the dental sector.
Over 100 submissions were received to the review covering a number of occupations in a range of sectors with one submission making reference to the role in question received from the Irish Dental Association. Following engagement with the Department of Health throughout the review process, and after much deliberation, the IDG concluded that the Irish Dental Association’s submission did not contain sufficient evidence to merit a change in the status of Dental Nurse on the occupations lists. Dental Nurse therefore remains ineligible for an employment permit at present.
My Department has since invited the Irish Dental Association to make a new evidence-based submission. I am mindful that the dentistry sector has experienced challenges in recent times. Should a further evidence-based case be made to my Department, it will be considered. As of today my Department has yet to receive a subsequent submission from the sector.
342. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will provide a schedule of social media influencers, and online personalities, television and or radio personalities engaged by his Department in 2023 and to-date in 2024; and if he will include the fees expanded, by the name of personality and the name of the campaign they were engaged on, in tabular form. [12978/24]
View answerMy Department hosted nine Building Better Business conferences around the country in 2023. The aim of the conferences was to highlight the Department’s Regional Enterprise Plans and also the challenges of digitalisation and the transition to a low-carbon economy. The events were aimed at local businesses including SMEs and were attended by many State agencies and offices who advised attendees about the supports available to them.
The conferences also included panel discussions and the Department engaged professional hosts to compere the event and moderate the discussions.
Details of the personalities my department engaged, their fees and the events they facilitated are outlined in the table below.
I can confirm that my Department have not run any events of this nature to date in 2024.
|
MC |
Event |
Location |
Fee |
VAT |
Total |
|
Richard Curran |
7 Building Better Business Events |
Letterkenny, Co. DonegalPortlaoise, Co. LaoisLimerickNaas, Co. KildareWaterfordDundalk, Co. LouthDublin |
€24,500 |
€5,635 |
€30,135 |
|
Dearbhail McDonald |
1 Building Better Business Event |
Ballina, Co. Mayo |
€2,500 |
€575 |
€3,075 |
|
Áine Kerr |
1 Building Better Business Event |
Cork |
€4,100 |
€943 |
€5,043 |
343. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to provide details on all planned PPP projects and ongoing PPP contracts; the status of each project; the anticipated or known capital cost; the anticipated or known cost to the Exchequer over the lifetime of the contracts; the annual total payment of PPP unitary charges and the percentage share of the total capital budget for his Department and all public bodies under the aegis of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13193/24]
View answerMy Department and its related Offices (the Workplace Relations Commission, the Companies Registration Office, the Labour Court and the Intellectual Property Office of Ireland) have no ongoing or planned Public-Private Partnership projects. With respect to the Agencies under my aegis, I have asked the them for the relevant information on this matter and will revert to the Deputy at the earliest opportunity.
344. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will detail the number of work permit applications received by country of origin over the past four years; the number of rejected applications per country; the reason for those rejections; and the number of spouses/dependents of successful applicants per country of origin also granted residence. [13293/24]
View answerThe Employment Permits Section of the Department has provided the requested information in the table below which sets out data on the number of Employment Permit applications received by country of origin over the last four years and the number of applications that were refused.
Unfortunately, it is not possible to capture the reasons why these were refused, but some of the more common reasons are; salary below the threshold, a job being on the ineligible list, failure to conduct a valid Labour Market Needs Test and requested documentation not being provided. However, each employment permit will be assessed individually against the eligibility criteria for that permit type.
Regarding the request for information on the number of spouses/dependents of successful applicants by country of origin also granted residence, as this is the policy responsibility of the Department of Justice this information request should be directed to the Department of Justice to respond to.
Applications Received
|
Nationality (Employee) |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
|
Grand Total |
16,449 |
27,718 |
35,606 |
38,469 |
|
Afghanistan |
14 |
15 |
45 |
15 |
|
Albania |
33 |
42 |
46 |
45 |
|
Algeria |
14 |
25 |
30 |
22 |
|
Angola |
1 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
|
Argentina |
58 |
93 |
131 |
116 |
|
Armenia |
13 |
17 |
18 |
6 |
|
Australia |
122 |
91 |
101 |
144 |
|
Azerbaijan |
7 |
11 |
15 |
4 |
|
Bahamas |
1 |
1 |
3 |
|
|
Bahrain |
2 |
5 |
5 |
3 |
|
Bangladesh |
61 |
109 |
167 |
271 |
|
Barbados |
3 |
3 |
1 |
5 |
|
Belarus |
19 |
53 |
70 |
47 |
|
Belize |
6 |
11 |
||
|
Benin |
1 |
|||
|
Bhutan |
1 |
1 |
||
|
Bolivia |
9 |
17 |
33 |
103 |
|
Bosnia and Herzegovina |
14 |
15 |
40 |
7 |
|
Botswana |
9 |
17 |
37 |
109 |
|
Brazil |
1,790 |
3,602 |
2,857 |
3,855 |
|
Brunei Darussalam |
6 |
8 |
8 |
12 |
|
Bulgaria |
1 |
|||
|
Burkina Faso |
2 |
1 |
1 |
|
|
Burundi |
2 |
1 |
||
|
Cambodia |
8 |
55 |
18 |
2 |
|
Cameroon |
3 |
7 |
64 |
53 |
|
Canada |
313 |
312 |
269 |
256 |
|
Cayman Islands |
1 |
|||
|
Central African Republic |
1 |
|||
|
Chad |
1 |
|||
|
Channel Islands |
2 |
|||
|
Chile |
18 |
50 |
82 |
173 |
|
China |
672 |
1,082 |
1,292 |
1,829 |
|
Colombia |
26 |
43 |
90 |
99 |
|
Congo |
1 |
2 |
7 |
|
|
Congo, The Democratic Republic of the |
4 |
5 |
5 |
11 |
|
Costa Rica |
19 |
19 |
43 |
52 |
|
Cote d'Ivoire |
4 |
2 |
2 |
|
|
Cuba |
4 |
3 |
7 |
5 |
|
Djibouti |
1 |
|||
|
Dominica |
1 |
2 |
5 |
1 |
|
Dominican Republic |
4 |
6 |
7 |
5 |
|
Ecuador |
6 |
4 |
7 |
17 |
|
Egypt |
296 |
349 |
343 |
274 |
|
El Salvador |
5 |
30 |
12 |
50 |
|
Equatorial Guinea |
1 |
2 |
2 |
|
|
Eritrea |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
|
Ethiopia |
4 |
8 |
12 |
7 |
|
Fiji |
6 |
2 |
||
|
Gabon |
2 |
|||
|
Gambia |
1 |
3 |
5 |
|
|
Georgia |
5 |
8 |
21 |
15 |
|
Ghana |
27 |
63 |
146 |
321 |
|
Greece |
1 |
|||
|
Grenada |
1 |
1 |
2 |
|
|
Guatemala |
3 |
7 |
10 |
11 |
|
Guinea |
2 |
2 |
1 |
|
|
Guyana |
1 |
1 |
2 |
|
|
Haiti |
4 |
1 |
3 |
|
|
Honduras |
5 |
8 |
21 |
38 |
|
Hong Kong |
42 |
37 |
37 |
42 |
|
India |
5,515 |
9,551 |
14,579 |
13,742 |
|
Indonesia |
33 |
80 |
75 |
77 |
|
Iran, Islamic Republic of |
45 |
68 |
106 |
98 |
|
Iraq |
49 |
61 |
37 |
16 |
|
Israel |
80 |
140 |
327 |
300 |
|
Ivory Coast |
1 |
1 |
3 |
|
|
Jamaica |
4 |
7 |
6 |
15 |
|
Japan |
111 |
147 |
247 |
253 |
|
Jordan |
48 |
72 |
60 |
66 |
|
Kazakhstan |
19 |
22 |
42 |
27 |
|
Kenya |
24 |
74 |
110 |
151 |
|
Korea, Democratic People's Republic of |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
|
Korea, Republic of |
54 |
65 |
139 |
118 |
|
Kosova |
39 |
30 |
48 |
11 |
|
Kosovo |
3 |
7 |
8 |
16 |
|
Kuwait |
1 |
4 |
1 |
8 |
|
Kyrgyzstan |
12 |
9 |
15 |
|
|
Lao People's Democratic Republic |
2 |
2 |
||
|
Latvia |
1 |
|||
|
Lebanon |
55 |
97 |
108 |
69 |
|
Lesotho |
1 |
2 |
6 |
17 |
|
Libya |
38 |
28 |
16 |
15 |
|
Libyan Arab Jamahiriya |
1 |
|||
|
Macao |
1 |
1 |
||
|
Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of |
8 |
10 |
11 |
4 |
|
Madagascar |
2 |
|||
|
Malawi |
8 |
19 |
35 |
24 |
|
Malaysia |
494 |
588 |
661 |
743 |
|
Maldives |
1 |
2 |
1 |
|
|
Mali |
2 |
1 |
||
|
Malta |
1 |
|||
|
Mauritius |
37 |
54 |
51 |
72 |
|
Mexico |
112 |
203 |
345 |
473 |
|
Moldova, Republic of |
37 |
116 |
28 |
38 |
|
Mongolia |
3 |
9 |
19 |
86 |
|
Montenegro |
1 |
1 |
3 |
4 |
|
Morocco |
26 |
72 |
81 |
104 |
|
Mozambique |
1 |
3 |
||
|
Myanmar |
4 |
6 |
9 |
19 |
|
Namibia |
6 |
5 |
4 |
2 |
|
Nepal |
102 |
177 |
230 |
339 |
|
New Zealand |
64 |
62 |
60 |
58 |
|
Nicaragua |
4 |
5 |
5 |
|
|
Niger |
1 |
|||
|
Nigeria |
347 |
597 |
1,193 |
1,292 |
|
North Macedonia |
5 |
6 |
||
|
Oman |
9 |
23 |
18 |
20 |
|
Pakistan |
1,038 |
1,409 |
1,685 |
1,851 |
|
Palestine |
14 |
23 |
22 |
18 |
|
Panama |
1 |
4 |
9 |
13 |
|
Papua New Guinea |
1 |
|||
|
Paraguay |
3 |
12 |
16 |
|
|
Peru |
9 |
15 |
23 |
9 |
|
Philippines |
648 |
1,176 |
2,387 |
3,254 |
|
Qatar |
2 |
1 |
1 |
|
|
Republic of China |
1 |
|||
|
Republic of Serbia |
2 |
2 |
1 |
|
|
Russian Federation |
195 |
261 |
674 |
246 |
|
Rwanda |
1 |
4 |
||
|
Saint Kitts and Nevis |
1 |
1 |
3 |
2 |
|
Saint Lucia |
2 |
|||
|
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines |
1 |
|||
|
Samoa |
1 |
|||
|
Saudi Arabia |
36 |
41 |
34 |
32 |
|
Senegal |
3 |
5 |
7 |
5 |
|
Serbia |
27 |
27 |
39 |
19 |
|
Seychelles |
1 |
1 |
8 |
|
|
Sierra Leone |
1 |
2 |
1 |
|
|
Singapore |
32 |
49 |
50 |
87 |
|
Somalia |
4 |
5 |
5 |
1 |
|
South Africa |
575 |
1,008 |
1,354 |
1,801 |
|
Sri Lanka |
64 |
207 |
404 |
650 |
|
Sudan |
701 |
799 |
524 |
388 |
|
Swaziland |
6 |
3 |
4 |
12 |
|
Syrian Arab Republic |
29 |
20 |
22 |
26 |
|
Taiwan |
51 |
70 |
104 |
154 |
|
Tajikistan |
1 |
6 |
1 |
|
|
Tanzania, United Republic of |
3 |
14 |
18 |
20 |
|
Thailand |
33 |
465 |
291 |
352 |
|
Tibet |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
|
Togo |
1 |
3 |
2 |
|
|
Tonga |
1 |
2 |
||
|
Trinidad and Tobago |
35 |
40 |
25 |
19 |
|
Tunisia |
20 |
61 |
81 |
62 |
|
Türkiye |
250 |
399 |
570 |
550 |
|
Turkmenistan |
3 |
|||
|
Uganda |
6 |
39 |
62 |
46 |
|
Ukraine |
304 |
715 |
282 |
193 |
|
United Arab Emirates |
3 |
5 |
3 |
4 |
|
United Kingdom |
1 |
1 |
||
|
United States of America |
875 |
1,029 |
1,043 |
1,188 |
|
Uruguay |
10 |
8 |
13 |
34 |
|
Uzbekistan |
3 |
4 |
4 |
9 |
|
Vanuatu |
7 |
3 |
5 |
|
|
Venezuela |
35 |
50 |
41 |
36 |
|
Vietnam |
218 |
752 |
213 |
167 |
|
Yemen |
7 |
4 |
4 |
1 |
|
Zambia |
6 |
13 |
24 |
29 |
|
Zimbabwe |
165 |
313 |
725 |
767 |
|
Null |
1 |
2 |
Applications Refused
|
Nationality (Employee) |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
|
Grand Total |
956 |
911 |
3,465 |
1,595 |
|
Afghanistan |
3 |
|||
|
Albania |
1 |
1 |
22 |
5 |
|
Algeria |
1 |
3 |
||
|
Argentina |
4 |
7 |
31 |
11 |
|
Australia |
11 |
8 |
9 |
7 |
|
Azerbaijan |
1 |
|||
|
Bahamas |
1 |
|||
|
Bangladesh |
8 |
10 |
50 |
11 |
|
Barbados |
1 |
1 |
||
|
Belarus |
9 |
|||
|
Belize |
4 |
3 |
||
|
Bhutan |
1 |
|||
|
Bolivia |
1 |
1 |
5 |
6 |
|
Bosnia and Herzegovina |
2 |
3 |
||
|
Botswana |
2 |
7 |
5 |
|
|
Brazil |
224 |
162 |
448 |
255 |
|
Burkina Faso |
1 |
|||
|
Cambodia |
1 |
|||
|
Cameroon |
15 |
|||
|
Canada |
15 |
9 |
19 |
9 |
|
Channel Islands |
1 |
|||
|
Chile |
3 |
2 |
18 |
15 |
|
China |
70 |
59 |
125 |
60 |
|
Colombia |
1 |
2 |
345. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Education if she will support an application from a school (details supplied) for funding to complete the building of a general purpose/early years room, which is necessary to accommodate the pupils and staff; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11519/24]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has no current record of receiving an application for additional accommodation from the school in question.
The purpose of my Department’s Additional School Accommodation (or ASA) scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream classroom accommodation and accommodation for pupils with special education needs is available to cater for pupils enrolled each year, where the need cannot be met by the school’s existing accommodation.
At primary level, this situation generally arises to cater for a school’s accommodation requirements where an additional teaching post has been sanctioned by Teacher Allocation Section, or the requirement for a new class for pupils with special education needs has been identified by the NCSE, and all available alternative accommodation within the school is already being used for classroom purposes.
Since 2020, the Department of Education has invested in the region of €4.3 billion in our schools throughout the country, involving the completion of over 800 school building projects with construction currently underway at approximately 300 other projects, which includes 33 new school buildings. These 300 projects currently at construction involve a total State investment of over €1.2bn. This is a record level of investment in our schools and highlights the Government’s very strong track record of delivery in providing additional capacity and modern facilities for our school communities.
A future strengthened focus on refurbishment of existing school stock will have different strands and will include a PE build and modernisation programme which will enable students in post-primary schools to have access to appropriate facilities to support PE provision, particularly also in the context of the roll-out of PE as a leaving-certificate subject. Enhanced and modernised PE facilities will also provide important amenities for local communities.
However the main focus of the Department’s capital funding over the last decade and for the coming period is on provision of critical additional capacity to cater for increasing demographics and children with special educational needs.
The Department manages the overall school building programme, ensuring that areas under the greatest pressure for addition school places are prioritised. This reflects the Department’s fundamental objective of ensuring the availability of an appropriate school place for every child.
The overall position with regard to potential modernisation and replacement of existing school infrastructure will be kept under review as capital funding allocations for future years are clarified.
